why UM isn't at least on top. MSU and OSU have questions marks for who their QB will be and OLine will look like in 2 years...UM has multiple blue chips in the key areas that will help him reach his full potential.

Michigan wide receivers haven't been great since Manningham left. Roundtree had a pretty good season in 2010, but Greg Mathews, Darryl Stonum, Junior Hemingway, etc. didn't really light the world on fire. There's potential there and guys have played well for short stretches of time, but if you look at the overall body of work in recent years, places like Alabama, Oklahoma State, USC, Oklahoma, etc. have much better WR traditions in the last five years.

I'm not sure if this is stupid or confusing, but how do you see the coaches recruting a player like Harris (any WR or QB for that matter)?

What I mean is do you think they point to SDSU and say "look what we did there!", do they point to another CFB team and say "that's exactly where we are going", do they do the same with an NFL team? Maybe Hoke and Borges just say, "Listen, this is the type of offense we want to run with X and Y percentages of run/pass, etc."

Obviously, all of these kids have the Michigan offense led by Denard most fresh in their minds, while some may even have memories of Henne. I'm just curious on your feeling as to "how" they have been and will continue to go about this.

Sorry if that doesn't make any sense at all.

The spirit of liberty is the spirit which is not too sure that it is right.

You're probably correct for the vast majority of recruits. I just figured if, let's say you are a Midwest recruit (in Drake's case, in MI) and (per your example) you were 12 years old or so in that 2006-2007 time, you probably saw a number of highlights/stories/interviews/etc. with Henne. I would have to think those kids at least remember hearing about/seeing all the build-up to the 2006 Michigan-OSU game.

The spirit of liberty is the spirit which is not too sure that it is right.

They sell the #1 jersey. They point to the great college seasons by Braylon Edwards, Mario Manningham, and perhaps others (Terrell, Walker, etc.). They point to Shane Morris and Devin Gardner and Wilton Speight. They told Daniel Helm about how they used Gavin Escobar at SDSU, so I would imagine they say the same things about the 1,000-yard seasons for their wide receivers there.

When these guys schedule visits to campus, the coaches put together presentations for how they plan to use these kids. They don't just walk into a room and say "Hey, Drake. So do you have any questions for us?" Coaches even do that sort of thing if you're visiting a D-II school, but obviously a school like Michigan is going to make it even bigger and more professional.

Thanks for the response. And I do understand how those campus visits and presentations go, I was lucky enough to do a few of those myself (defintiely not D-I . . . or even good D-II, really, haha). I was just curious if you had any further insight or opinion on how they might be going about it. I would have to imagine it is easier to sell a local recruit on the history and legacy type things about the program, but perhaps I'm wrong.

Thanks again, Magnus.

EDIT: All of that, plus it just seems like so many things these days are geared towards the "here and now." How quick can I play, how quick can I make the NLF . . . AD's are asking what did you do for me THIS season, coach, etc. As a highly-touted recruit, I can very much understand hesitation when looking at some positions at UofM (highly rated 5-star QB, for instance, is not from the area, and has only viewed Michigan with Denard).

The spirit of liberty is the spirit which is not too sure that it is right.

As far as tradition/legacy, I think it depends on what kind of recruit it is. If it's a kid who doesn't care whether he stays close to home or not, or if he has a troubled home life and might want to get far away, then that local stuff might not matter so much. I don't know about Harris's home life, but he's not a transplant to the area and he obviously has some interest in staying close to home since he originally committed to MSU. They may not be the deciding factor, but I would imagine those school and in-state traditions would help a little bit.

Yea because oklahoma, ok state, Alabama and Usc have all put what one receiver each in the NFL in the last 5 years... has USC put any in? Not that Michigan has had a reciver recruit even close to the caliber of Justin Blackmon, Julio Jones, Marqise Lee and Robert Woods.

Most recruits hat are 4-5 stars pretty much think they'll go to the NFL no matter where they play

Oklahoma wideouts put up good numbers most years, Oklahoma State has produced Justin Blackmon and Dez Bryant in recent years, USC has put out several good receivers (Steve Smith, Damian Williams, Ronald Johnson, not to mention the guys who are playing right now), and Alabama put out Julio Jones and currently has Amari Cooper.

All of those teams have been better at WR production from the post-Carr era until now. And I'm sure there are others, too.

I agree completely. However, none of those schools are either msu or Ohio, the two teams the poster mentioned that you are commenting on. In recent years, I think one can say that Ohio and msu might have ha more success at WR but not completely. We could easily poit to two transitions between different styles of offense and the lack of a elite passing QB, which we can argue we are developing and getting, as the differences between our production of WRs versus msu and Ohio.

Haha this made me laugh. You need to be 21 now, but my friend freshman year had a fake, and I think it was mid-November when he declared, "It's too hard to get up there when I'm hammered so I'm going to unloft this shit."

Although he was probably the one most likely to commit, I am not surprised he didn't by any means. His decision is a pretty big one, as it will likely come with his two teammates as well. IMO if he wasn't commiting for 2 other people as well, he would probably have commited over the weekend.

What I read earlier said that he wanted to talk to his parents and coaches about his decision. It didn't mention talking to his two teammates, but I assumed it was just an oversight. I would think that if they really plan on being a package deal that he'll want to talk to them about it as well, especially the 2014 kid. I also don't know if we should expect a committment from him prio to his 2014 teammate making his visit either. If I remember correctly, Artavis Scott hasn't been to A2 since the BBQ. Someone that follows recruiting much closer can clarify that.

I'm wondering if Scott is even close to committing anywhere at this point. If he isn't, could Cole be that close?

If Cole is that close to committing, could this be the point in most package deals where the good intentions are overcome by the acknowledgement that the most important thing is that each player finds the best school for himself.

I usually do, but I feel like the first time I totally disregard a reported package deal will be the first time it actually works out. I usually just take it with the proverbial grain of salt. Since I haven't heard them say going separate ways is even a possibility, I still consider it's possible that this might be the first time a package deal sticks together.

I was at the game yesterday and was about 30 ft from where all the recruits and coaches where sitting. Harris & Speight sat together the whole time. All the coaches where there. Mattison was sitting next to a middle aged man most of the game which I'm guessing was a recruits dad? Freddy J and the other coaches made it around to the recruits talking to them. McDowell was in the first row aisle seat and saw Funk, Helsinki, Fred J all come to talk to him. Saw Mattison sitting next to him before the game.

Before the game a very tall bald guy walked in and I said , wow that guy has to be 7'-5. As he got closer I saw it was Zyldrunas Ilgauskas (sp?). Saw a NBA pass around his neck so he's there scouting. Not sure who he works for.

Also, John Navarre was in line in front of me waiting to get in with his wife and son

Btw,I hadn't been in Crisler for a game since 2006, it is simply amazing now.

Forgot to mention about Hoke. I'm sure everyone saw him sitting next to Beilein & Al Glick. He was fun to watch, he was very vocal getting on the refs a bit (with a smile) and encouraging the players as they came off the court. On his feet cheering with the student section. Saw he & Beilein exchanging a few words even during the game. Blue jeans, buttoned shirt untucked....love that guy

There's no doubt the new Crisler is a FAR better place to bring recruits than the old days when it was dark and an unexciting atmosphere. I remember watching the recruits coming in in the mid-80's. No student section in the center. Dim lights. Not much going on at halftime. No video boards. We still seemed to do OK I guess, recruiting-wise.

"You owe it to every man, woman, and child in the State of Michigan to beat the Buckeyes and silence their fans! Now go out there and make it happen!"

has been a factor of being absent a QB who can make "all the throws" since 2007. OU had Bradford/Jones, OkSU with Weeden, USC with Barkley et al. Plus those offenses then shifted their priority to pass with a plus passer. UM coaches need to sell that that era is coming upon us soon with better arms and play action going to be an actual threat.

I agree. I think Gardner's performance this year at least legitimized the claim that Michigan would be able to return to a pro-style offense. If he had sat on the bench the entire year, there wouldn't be any evidence to show that Hoke wanted to return to those days other than the recruitment of Shane Morris. As much as I like Denard Robinson, I don't think he's a guy that wide receivers were beating down the door to pair up with.

It's going to be a process to bring him over to the Maize and Blue, but we are on the right track. Is this pretty much a two-horse race, or is he strongly considering schools outside Michigan? Just comparing the MSU and U-M programs in the next few years, the QB situation at Michigan has to give us a big advantage.

"You owe it to every man, woman, and child in the State of Michigan to beat the Buckeyes and silence their fans! Now go out there and make it happen!"

I have a fear of Harris staying at MSU... All this talk about how he won't stick there because he was thinking basketball first just sounds like an excuse for hoping that he won't. The more I hear people say he will go somewhere other than state just makes me fear more he will prove everyone wrong. I really want him at Michigan, but state has a really really good shot to keep him.

I seriously think that MSU may not even be in his top 5 when everything is said and done, I see 3 way battle between UM, OSU and Alabama with some pass happy spread offense teams trying to muscle their way in.

He had (another) good visit here. He has been to MSU multiple times recently, has been here and says he will visit here again, and then says he also wants to visit OSU. He has visits lined up pretty much through March and that's not even addressing any SEC programs or anyone else he might be interested in.

Is there any reason to believe this won't be a long, drawn-out recruitment? Could make for a lot of pain in the mgo community. I'm just going to take a backseat on this one for a little while and not get too stressed because this could be crazy. ESPECIALLY if he waits until the fall to take official visits. With his visit schedule along spanning the next month+, I just can't imagine there is anything to read into right now.